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Manure

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  • Jac19Jac19 Posts: 496
    I wrote to use a "peat based compost," not just peat.
    Peat RETAINS nutrition in it and slow releases it to the plants.
    It can be dug in, as opposed to manure that needs to be mulched in at the top.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Jac19 said:
    I wrote to use a "peat based compost," not just peat.
    Peat RETAINS nutrition in it and slow releases it to the plants.
    It can be dug in, as opposed to manure that needs to be mulched in at the top.
    just about everything in that comment is incorrect.
    Devon.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Hmm. I've dug manure in to my (sandy) soil and it did no end of good, and I've spread old spent potting compost on the top of beds (to get rid of it when emptying pots) and it's done no harm, but that's just my experience and it may differ from other people's. What this forum does so well (as opposed to a textbook or internet search) is let people ask questions and get a whole range of experiences from people with different soil types, climates etc. The person asking the question can then decide what's best for them with their soil type, climate etc. And I for one enjoy reading other people's experiences and comparing, even if it's not my question.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    edited September 2021


    I have successfully improved clay soil in my parent's back garden simply by adding a regular mulch of used horse bedding and home made compost and planting deep rooting deciduous shrubs and fruit trees which encourage soil life that improves the structure of clay soil. As my soil science lecturer described it is possible to get clay soil to form in to a loose structure of peds or aggregates that clump together in lumps that allow spaces for air and water to flow through the soil and this is best done by encouraging life in the soil.

    Happy gardening!

    Good post @roba@robairdmacraignil . I've gardened on deep heavy clay for over 40 years.  It's tough dense deep Wealden clay. Manure of any sort is what opens it out and improves it but it needs to be done again and again.  Compost is good too, any organic matter helps.  Grit and sharp sand only help in small targeted areas.  I can't see that John Innis 3 would help either, just expensive. Drainage is also key but once it's opened up with repeated applications of organic matter the clay is fertile.
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • Jac19Jac19 Posts: 496
    edited September 2021
    "Peat has important functions for plants. It keeps water and nutrients, and gives them steadily to plants. It has air pockets or pores to supply oxygen to plant roots and allow for drainage. . . Also, it can improve garden soils"

    https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/62735

    Having some peat underneath the manure and plant compost layers at the top is really good and really helps as peat retains nutrients from the decomposing material above and releases it steadily to plants.

    Manure is always best mulched in at the top so that beneficial bacteria in it can provide nitrogen as ammonia to it from atmospheric N2 as it decomposes.  Plant roots underneath it then gets a lot of nitrogen from it.

    You are the one who is wrong and misleading.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Totally agree.
    add muck, more muck, then when you think you've added too much muck, add some more muck.
    Dig it in if you must, but spreading it on top is fine.
    No point adding sand, or grit.
    Don't use peat in your borders, it has no benefit. { not talking potting composts, I know that there peat based composts have their advocates }
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Your post is excellent @robairdmacraignil, but as we can all see, it falls on deaf ears, so again - we're all wasting our time even bothering to say any more.  :)
    I'm off to cut my toenails - much more satisfying 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited September 2021
    It's rather a moot point because peat for domestic horticulture is soon to be banned in the UK (current plan is 2024), so we need to stop using it whether we like it or not. For myself I'll miss it most for raising seeds in trays/pots where a fine-textured compost is important.
    My experience with sandy soil is that anything that helps to retain moisture added by either digging in or mulching will also help to retain nutrients, and my main go-to is home-made compost made from garden waste, veg peelings etc. Bought-in bagged rotted manure and bagged soil conditioners are good too if I've run out of homemade compost. Using ready-mixed potting compost as soil improver seems expensive to me and works less well for me because it includes sand and sometimes topsoil as well as the organic matter. I don't need any more sand in my soil, and if I want topsoil it's cheaper to buy it separately.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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